1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for cleaning a hose coupling or the like, and more particularly to such a device for cleaning the external screw threads and the adjacent axially disposed, annular face of a coupling, such as a garden hose coupling, as commonly found in faucets, taps, hose cocks, bibs and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hose couplings, specifically the well-known male couplings used with garden hoses, have external screw threads and axially adjacent annular and planar faces, the screw threads serving to draw corresponding female couplings into sealing engagement with the faces. Since the male coupling is usually fully exposed, it becomes dirty and corroded and frequently calcifies. As a result, considerable friction or actual obstruction develops between the screw threads of such a coupling and a female coupling requiring excessive effort to connect the couplings in fluid-tight relation. Also, due to such dirt, corrosion and calcification, the annular face loses its regular shape so that leakage occurs even when the couplings are tightened. It is, of course, possible to use a wrench and a threading die which is of the usual configuration having interrupted, internal screw threads, to clean the threads of the male coupling and to clean the annular face thereof with a file or the like. However, the use of such tools is inconvenient. Also, with such tools, there is no provision for bringing the annular face of the male coupling into its proper configuration lying in a plane substantially normal to the axis of the adjacent external screw thread.
It is therefore highly desirable to provide a device which is economical and convenient to use in cleaning a hose coupling so as to minimize leakage and to minimize exertion in connecting the coupling to a mating coupling.